Montclair: Police blotter, March 19, 2014

Montclair - Ana Ambrosio, 22, was taken into custody at about 11 a.m. Tuesday, March 18, for filing a fictitious police report, police said.

Ambrosio had filed a report that she was a victim of a robbery on Sunday, March 9, claiming she lost consciousness after being punched in the face by an unknown person while walking home, police said.

The detectives' investigation revealed she was not telling the truth after they saw video footage of her entering and exiting her residence safely during the timeframe the robbery allegedly occurred and just prior to her reporting the incident, police said.

Ambrosio was issued a summons and released pending her court hearing, according to authorities.

Gates Avenue - At about 1:50 p.m. Wednesday, March 12, when officers were randomly checking vehicle registrations, they discovered a vehicle whose owner was a suspended driver, prompting a motor vehicle stop in the area of Gates and Bloomfield avenues,

police said.

The driver admitted her license was suspended, and officers detected an odor of marijuana coming from the vehicle, according to authorities. The driver admitted that she had smoked marijuana earlier, and the partially smoked marijuana cigar was in her ashtray while a small amount of the drug was in her console, police said.

Kelly Nelson, 44, of Montclair, gave officers consent to retrieve the marijuana and she was taken into custody without incident, police said.

Nelson was issued motor vehicle summonses for driving while suspended, charged with possession of less than 50 grams of marijuana and released pending a court hearing, according to authorities.

South Park Street - Brandon Hart, 25, of Montclair was arrested at about 2:15 p.m. Wednesday, March 12, and charged with shoplifting after he allegedly stole a "Charles and ½" black leather jacket worth $99 from Urban Outfitters, police said.

Officers responding to Urban Outfitters for a reported shoplifting incident were given a description of the suspect, who had the jacket tied around his waist as he walked out without paying for it, police said.

The security alarm sounded as he left, indicating the security sensor was still on the jacket, according to authorities. Urban Outfitters employees approached Hart outside and told him he needed to return the jacket, but Hart told them to call the police, according to authorities.

After officers checked the surrounding area, they found Hart at a bus stop near Bloomfield Avenue and South Willow Street with the jacket, police said.

Hart was also found to have outstanding warrants out of Montclair, West Orange, and the Essex County Sheriff's Department totaling $12,780, police said.

Forest Street - About $5,400 worth of clothing, jewelry, and electronics was taken from a 2007 black Ford Mustang sometime between 10 and 11:45 p.m. Friday, March 14, after the alleged thief cut a hole in the ragtop of the car to get the items, police said.

A 1.5 carat white gold female engagement ring worth $1,200, a Garmin portable navigation system worth about $600, and seven Fendi items, including track suits and sneakers, were among the 17 items taken, according to authorities.

Maple Avenue - A package containing a pair of headphones was allegedly swiped from the door of a residence after it was delivered by the United States Postal Service between 10 and 11 a.m. Thursday, March 13, police said.

A neighbor reported seeing the package at the door, according to authorities.

Maple Avenue - Someone allegedly stole a briefcase from the rear of an unlocked gray 2005 Chrysler parked in a church parking lot while its owner was in the church praying between 7:10 and 7:40 p.m. Friday, March 14, police said.

The briefcase contained an HP laptop, a U.S. passport, glasses, an iPhone charger, and a binder, according to authorities.